Angels & Demons (2009)

Reel rating: 4/5

Reel commentary: ... If you were a fan of the book, there is a high chance you will like the movie tie-in, as it stays true to Dan Brown’s original vision and plotline, like it or not.

By J Murdock

Dan Brown is the devil in some people’s eyes. To others he is a visionary who has brought the questions of Christian beliefs to the forefront of society, to others he is simply an author. To be honest the truth is most likely the latter, a gifted author that found a gap in the market that could be filled with stories of religious outings mixed with an Indiana Jones style of adventure. To date he has written four books and all have been of a similar substance, but the two that stick out like black sheep are The Da Vinci Code, and Angels and Demons, both of which have struck gold with the creation of lead character Robert Langdon and his entanglement with the modern day church. 

Stellan Skarsgård as head of the Swiss Guard Commander Richter, uncovers the villian. All images copyright © 2009 Sony Pictures Entertainment

Controversy surrounded this movie for no good reason. Sure, the plot revolves around Vatican City, Secret Societies hell bent on the destruction of the Church, and a lead character that openly claims that he will never hold religious beliefs, but what differs from The Da Vinci Code is that this movie stands on the side of the church, and its opposition to change. Shocking it seems then that the Vatican still banned the film from being shot from within their grounds. The Plot is thick but to those that are yet to read the book it stays coherent throughout and easy to follow. The movie follows Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) and Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer) as they try and uncover the mysteries following both a stolen energy source big enough to blow up an entire city, as well as the kidnapping or four cardinals all the favourites to inherit the papacy. Gosh, try saving that in one go. 

Director Ron Howard has obviously listened to the criticism of The Da Vinci Code when making Angels and Demons. The movie is better paced, the acting is tight, and the script doesn’t leave any plot holes hanging by its conclusion. Oh, and Tom Hanks has got a new hairdresser and got rid of that mullet he was sporting on his last adventure, which can only help his chances of survival. Standout aspects of the movie are without a doubt its cinematography and soundtrack, with both only being able to be described by words such as Epic, Striking, or Grandiose. 

It is not perfect though, character development is limited at best, with some of the original book cast ditched altogether, and also the fact that the movie runs about twenty minutes too long. Despite its limitations, the movie creates some impressive scenes and set pieces. The ending is spectacular, and the deaths of the Cardinals are surprisingly shocking for a 12A film.  

So does the movie live to expectation? Yes and No. The strange thing about The Da Vinci Code was that it sold well despite not many people actually liking it, but Angels and Demons proves to be a better overall adaptation for many reasons. Perhaps the anticipation wasn’t as high, maybe it was because the main character had already been established, or even the story is just easier to follow. If you were a fan of the book, there is a high chance you will like the movie tie-in, as it stays true to Dan Brown’s original vision and plotline, like it or not.

J Murdock



Comments

Frank Says: May 19, 2009 at 16:38 More Angels & Demons quotes: "Religion is flawed because man is flawed. " "Have you come to make a martyr out of me? " "Oh geez, you guys don't even read your own history do you? 1668, the church kidnapped four Illuminati scientists and branded each one of them on the chest with the symbol of the cross. To 'purge' them of their sins and they executed them, threw their bodies in the street as a warning to others to stop questioning church ruling on scientific matters. They radicalized them. The Purga created a darker, more violent Illuminati, one bent on... on retribution. " "But if it were to fall out of suspension, and come into contact with matter, say with the bottom of the canister, the two opposing forces would annihilate one another. Violently. "

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